March is almost there, so it is time to set up a new challenge after the lovely @at hosted the last two challenges. I have some big shoes to fill next month! The monthly challenges were started by @coda in May 2016 and many of us have benefited enormously from the generous and invaluable support given each and every month from our global community. Some of us are in maintenance while others are on the path of finding their happy weight.

Below copied and pasted from @at‘s lead-in to the February Challenge as I can’t explain how this challenge works any better than this.

So, here’s how this works (same as it has always been):-

1. Start your daily post with the day of the month, where you are from, and if you’re on a fast day (FD); a non-fast day (NFD) or a controlled day (CD) – (e.g. for 1st of February it would go something like “Day 1 – UK – FD” for me.)

2. Give a quick intro about yourself in the very first post – mostly for the benefit of the newbies. A brief blurb about your journey so far and what you aim get from this way of life (WOL). Also if you wish, your starting weight and any other measurements (waist, hip, bust etc) you aim to keep track of throughout the month. You can record this on the spread sheet or if you are unable to I’m happy to fill it in for you!

3. You can add any comments/questions/moans/whinges/triumphs… or anything you feel like you want to share with the rest of the forum. We all have good days and bad days, days we fall off the wagon and days when we hang in there for dear life………so if you want to share it – post it.

Recipes, tips, tricks and questions can also be shared – most of us are logged on at one time or another and can clarify things, offer advise, support etc when needed – this is the great thing about this international forum, there’s always someone online!!!!

Over the course of these monthly challenges, there have been small groups doing their own mini-challenges – called ‘pocket fasters’ or ‘pocketeers’ – they set a target and support each other through it. Anyone can join one of these groups or start a Pocket List – it’s entirely optional and flexible.

Being Dutch, speaking German most of the time, my biggest fear in hosting this challenge is to unwillingly hurt or offend anyone by choosing the wrong words or expression, something I never intend to do. I’m looking forward to a great month with all of you!

Just marking my place and wanted to say a massive thanks to @snowflake56 for starting this thread and hosting us in March. I am sure you will do a wonderful job and you have nothing to worry about regarding language – we are such an international bunch!

Really looking forward to having a good month in March. I have been in maintenance since August 2018, thanks mostly to 16:8 I think. But in recent times I could have made healthier food choices and have let exercise slip. Determined to come out of March 2019 feeling strong and healthy! Let’s do this!

Hey snowflake56!
Thank you for hosting the March challenge! After some time I decided to try a challenge again. I added myself to the list but couldn’t figure out how to keep the alphabetical order… Sorry!
Looking forward to share our fasting experiences with all of you!!!
Many greetings
Lou

hello, @snowflake56, thank you so much for hosting this challenge. I would like to be included :). I have fasted before successfully but this is my first day back after a while.
I lost 10kg of baby weight after my 2nd baby in 3 months from exercise and fasting 2 x a week and being a bit mindful on my non-fast days. I am English by living in Munich and have managed to persuade my French husband to start fasting too :). So, here goes:
Day 1 – FD, I will fill my details into the spreadsheet.
Thank you!
Jacquetta

@miraclelou glad to have you with us next month. I put your name in alphabetical order. Would you mind telling us, where you’re living in Germany? I’m in Emden in the upper North and our new friend @jdefouchier lives the deep south, in Munich. I guess you’re more in the southern part, reading you eat Knödl and Gulash, not common in this part of Germany, we’re the fish people.

@wacm how nice to see you will be joining our little community in March. I know, I know Autumn is coming in the southern hemisphere, but I like the word “Spring” (it means jump! in Dutch) it sounds so joyful so I couldn’t miss the opportunity to use it!

@matpi welcome to you too! I had to look up the phrase “March comes in like a lion, and goes out a lamb”, it’s unknown here. February seems to go as a lamb, a warm sunny week is expected.

@jdefouchier a warm welcome to this international forum. You seem to do quite well, 10 kg gone already. My husband eats less on my FDs, it is a big help if partners join in. Do you eat Bavarian food or do you prefer British and French cuisine? I put your name a bit higher on the spread sheet to keep the alphabetical order.

@flourbaby I’m very pleased to read you will be joining us. Where would we be without your witty posts? Take care while skiing, don’t break anything and have fun on the Après Ski!

Dear snowflake56,
Thanks for putting me at the right alphabetical spot 😊
I live close to Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg. So the 3 “Germans” in the Group are spread all over the country 😉
Looking forward to the challenge, still a bit scared though to check my starting weight of March.
Greetings

Thanks for hosting March @snowflake56! I’m just recently coming back to this forum and I’m already feeling the love. Looking forward to losing with all of you. The weight that is…. See you all in March!

Hi everyone. Newbie here. I’ve added myself to the sheet. Nervous about setting firm goals and possibly not reaching them. I think I will set a low goal that should be achievable – yikes!! I’m looking forward to being a part of this community. Definitely in need of support and encouragement! Thanks!

hello, dear @at! I’m so glad you are with me next month, it feels like having a safety net! x

@miraclelou Heidelberg is beautiful, I’ve been there a few times, but long ago. You don’t have to weigh if you don’t want to. I don’t go on the scales often, I prefer to go by the fit of one particular dress, if it fits, I’m fine.

@therealwil78 welcome to an other challenge! I agree with you, we do have lovely people to support us on our weight loss journey here.

dear @dingping of course you’re in! Where would I be without you on our Saturday’s FD? x

@aglowworm a warm welcome to you, I love your handle! It’s not easy to set a goal. I didn’t have a fixed goal, I just wanted to fit in a dress I had. Would that be an idea?

Thanks for the welcome @snowflake56! I really like your idea of working toward a dress to fit. I have a wardrobe full of lovely clothes that I can’t fit into any more 😩 So that is definitely one of my goals. I think I have a way to go before I can get back in them tho! I don’t think 1 month will do it! But thanks for the support. I’m excited to get going in March!

Hi Snowflake56 I would like to join your March Challenge. I am a kind of newbie 😁. Been here before with 5:2 diet and done ok. Unfortunately a couple of years down the line I am back to where I was and put more weight on. Nothing fits and I don’t like the person I see in the mirror. Looking forward to getting some tips and advice with positive vibes to keep me on track. 😁xx

Hi, this is my first week on the 5:2, after being on several other diets that did not really help me lose weight. After several months, I am losing my mind so I decided to try 5:2.
I am located in Virginia, USA. I am on a Fast Day. I just started the 5:2 and I am thinking of doing the Fast 800 in a few months when my body does not lose weight anymore.

Hi there, I’ve been reading the Forum since the beginning of January, but this is my first post. I’d like to join the challenge. I’ve lost 18 pounds on the FD so far and 11 pounds previously to that just cutting down. I have some way to go yet though! I’m in Bristol in the UK.

To introduce myself – 69, recently retired ESL teacher also studying; couldn’t do both, so stopped working. Started this WOL near the end of November last year when I finally had enough mental energy to work on losing weight. Started at 86.4 kg (about 190 lb) and am now 8 kg (nearly 18 lb) lighter. Looking forward to another month of friendship and encouragement together, although many are at different stages of their weight loss journey, or already at maintenance (I wish!!! 🙂 ).

Good to see familiar and new faces. Count me in please @snowflake and thank you for hosting and for the new look spreadsheet. I love the bright colours!
A bit about me. I’m a 64yo retired teacher living in Belfast. I lost a couple of stone on this WOL and was in maintenance. However, a few too many enjoyable weekends have caused the scales to creep up and I need to lose about 3lbs to get back to the top of my maintenance range. Ideally I’d like to maintain at the bottom of the range,which would give me some wriggle room.

I’m another of the lurkers from start of the year who finally is asking to join in. I’m 39 and trying to get down to the lower end of my ideal weight according to the charts (135ish). Since I started this in January, already down 15lbs from starting at 170. I know this is the time I quit when I do try to lose just because I get lazy and everyone else (except doctor) tells me I don’t need to lose. So, not much support around me. Especially not from skinny children.
I live in Ohio and do machine work overnights, so this time is bedtime for me. My big hurdle is waiting after work for kids to go to school since my oldest has the car. I end up walking around an hour and then warm back up at the local restaurant when it opens!

@aweemanda welcome! How good you remembered being succesful with 5:2 in the past so you know it works. There is a lot of knowledge among us, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.

@shinything glad to have you with me this month and thanks for freezing up to column B. Could you tweak your WOE a little so you can get of that plateau?

@ann1239 welcome! Why don’t you do the basic 5:2 for a few months and see how it goes, many of us just did and do the basic 5:2 with success. If you fast for two days a week, after a while it often becomes a habit.

@ciren2 how lovely to be your host this month, perhaps this will be your month. Have the headaches gone?

@betsylee you’re the first to start the challenge this month. I hope this one will be as good as the last one, you lost 5.9 lbs, that’s good.

@debster251 welcome to you too, my old friend. Where would we be without enjoyable weekends with friends and family? We need them for our wellbeing, they keep us mentally stable. Because of this they invented the Monday’s FD.

@hieiren welcome to you too! You also did very well on your own, 15lbs gone already, that’s good. Do you just warm up in the restaurant or do you eat/drink something. That must be difficult. I have added your name to the spreadsheet in case you want to use it.

This is water fast #16 in 2019 if I make it. I’ve started trying to build more shoulder/back strength for doing a tuck stand. It is much harder than I expected, but I guess as long as I’m making progress that is okay. It will probably take months to build up the necessary strength. Maybe I should just lose some more weight to make it easier.

Today is the first day of March, the meteorological beginning of Spring in the northern hemisphere and the beginning of Autumn in the southern hemisphere. But the most important for us: It is the start of the March 2019 – Spring Challenge. I hope it will be a month with shared successes, garden tips, recipes and most of all shared kindness among this unique bunch of people, sharing the same dream of living a happy, healthy life.

My journey so far:

I’m Dutch (from Limburg), 62 years old, married and retired. I never had any weight problems and always was a stable 56 kg until 7 years ago when I started a new job as a practice manager. My weight got more and more due to ice cream and sweets, it was 72.9 kg December 2016. In January 2017, weighing 70.9 kg/156.3lbs, I decided something had to be done and started to lose weight on my own. Started 5:2 at the beginning of February. From March on I joined the challenges. It worked very well, the weight just fell off, the support I got here was amazing. I reached my goal being 56 kg/123.5lbs on March 29th 2017 and maintained until July last year when I left the challenge. Without support my weight crept up again. Lost the excess weight during the September challenge, so I was back in maintenance again. This morning my weight is 57 kg kg/125.7lbs. My goal is to keep my weight in the range of 56-58 kg.

@emma1202 welcome to a new challenge! I noticed I’m always very motivated at the beginning of a new month but let it slip in the second part. I’m determined to change that from this month on.

@emma-taylor welcome to you too. I was so pleased to read the the gathering with your siblings turned out so well. I hope this will turn out to be a good month for you.

@elektron of course we want you with us this month, you did so well last month. How was eating keto for a while, any negatives?

@wacm I think being in a group like this makes it easier to stay on track, we can try to help each other through difficult times and the success others have is encouraging.

How I love a Day 1. So much promise. I promise this month to do my best to get off this plateau. It would help if I controlled my eating and drinking at the weekends, but hey ho. I promise to continue with the Jilluan Michaels 30 Day Shred and report on proceedings at the end of March. This month is our wedding anniversary and St Patrick’s Day weekend away…but apart from that it will be a quiet month.

I am off work today, took a days leave and plan to get lots of stuff done, go to the bank, eye test, blah blah, then tonight I am out with the girls for tapas. Looking forward to that.

Love that we have a restart each month and great to be here again. Without you I would be bigger for sure! I hope that those that were missing from the forum in February are ok and just taking time off… 💕@rainbowsmile, @anna6 etc and welcome to all the newbies 🤗

I’ve stayed off alcohol most of this year and have cut my sugar drastically – I believe it has helped enormously with mood and foggy brain. Like others, each day I stay off sugar I tick my input on the spreadsheet.

Thank you @at for looking after us for the past two months and @snowflake56 for bravely offering to do the same this month..you will be a fantastic host and well done on figuring out the spreadsheet .

Finished 1lb off my February target… think I may still have been on track yesterday but decided with a surprise free evening to bake @michelin’s bread and some sugar free nut bars I found on a paleo site…
Both were delicious and of course my 🛑 button was nowhere to be found…
Still I’m happier to have found two yum not-so-bad treats than to have seen that last lb go… 🤗
I’m not sure who else said it but I’d quite like to expand my healthy eating recipe store this year so I feel like I’ve already achieved something and all thanks to this forum. 🙏@michelinme I’m also on the lookout for non-dairy yoghurt – is there such a thing? Turns out I have an intolerance to casein….

Looking forward to March – where I will aim to stay at the same weight as will be off on my ski trip so it is unrealistic to think I’d loose anything with chalet food and après ski etc. I’ll be super good for the first half… hopefully this will offset the gluttony of the ski week.

I’d like to challenge myself this month to climb the 8 flights of my offices stairs at least once a day… and maybe do some planks… all in preparation for skiing mid-March. I always worry that I’m not fit enough when it comes around…

Hi everyone. Complete newbie here. Great to meet you all. I’m a 41 year old female living in Manchester, England. Starting weight: 178lbs.

I did my first fast days on Tuesday and Thursday of this week and they went well I think. I’m more nervous about sticking to my TDEE on NFD and being in this challenge – in case I don’t achieve what I want to. I’ve set my goal for this month low: -4lbs. In reality, I’d like it to be more than that, but I don’t know what’s going to happen, so I’ll see how things go.

Always open to tips/advice/support etc. It seems like a really great community here, so I’m excited to join it and be a part of it.

@snowflake56 please count me in for March, I need to firmly press my reset button after an indulgent month of birthday celebrations in February. Half a pound over the top of my maintenance weight range this morning so aiming to repair the damage this month.

End of day here – about 9:50 p.m. Finished my FD800 for today, and will enjoy a TDEE day tomorrow. I really look forward to my Saturdays, when I indulge (a little) in “treats”.

@elektron, there is no reason not to continue with FD800 for more than 12 weeks – didn’t Dr M. write that people can, if they are managing okay? Or did I get that wrong? If you are being careful to have the nutrients you need, why not a bit longer? Or move to what I’m trying to do, alternating an FD800 day with a CD, and one “free” day at the weekend. It’s working okay, and I’m managing better with that than the 5:2 500 cals routine. Just a suggestion.

@aglowworm, welcome to the forum. As a relative newbie, I can tell you that the support from here has been great – you’ll learn a lot and be supported in your ups and downs.

Delighted to be starting a new challenge – and huge thanks @snowflake56 for your hosting & gentle guidance this month.

I’m F55 London, put on weight in 3 tranches -restricted mobility bc neuromuscular condition, stopping smoking and menopause changes. By late 2017 I felt myself getting fatter each month. It was as tho a fat suit was growing between me & the world – and between me & Me – a Crossroads moment! I began 5:2 on 1Dec2017 at 179.5lb/81.5kg… After 15 months I’m 65.5kg /144.5lb. Been sitting on a plateau just 5kg short of my goal since late July, but it’s been a shape-shifting time. So far I’ve lost 6.5″ from my whole fat suit (b/w/h) and gone down 3-4 clothes sizes.

Warmest of welcome to all our newbies, & look forward to getting to know you. My best tips for starting out – drink lots of water, esp on FD… cold fizzy water is fabulous! And pay gentle attention to what you eat on NFD. But go gently – this is a WOL not a diet 🙂

There were tears yesterday (not cried in a very long time). After being in considerable pain yet again and feeling absolutely shattered I went to see the GP (other symptoms too). He was dismissive & patronising. I always kinda go in to see the gp in an almost apologetical manner. His manner yesterday reflected his normal demeanour. I always come out feeling worse than I went in. Up shot is he confirmed that out of the 3 elements they test for thyroid disorder 2 were abnormal and one was borderline. I have been tested 3 times in all over 12 months. Test on test is showing decline. He wants a 4th test. To be honest the fact he wants a 4th didn’t upset me, it was his attitude. He didn’t want to know about my eating habits or how low I have to go to lose a little bit. He just can’t see I’m sufferring and have been for some time. All this after having sustained a sci which makes life harder anyway (I’m just pleased to not be paralysed to be honest) and having had 4 sudden deaths in few months. (Last sudden passing 18 months ago but still processing losing most of my beloved family) Research suggests that high cholesterol and coeliac can be connected to low thyroid function, but they just won’t treat me holistically or join up the dots. All highly frustrating hence the tears.

Sorry for rambling and I’m really not looking for sympathy but it feels good to write it down.

I’m getting a weekend off! Woohoo! Ok, it’s just from now until Sunday afternoon, but I’ll take it. Though my bank account will be pouting. I am looking forward to a clean tub to do a long, hot soak in. It’s been a while and my feet and back are ready. Reward for fixing the toilet handle the kids broke, though not on purpose, yesterday. First time I have replaced one, so this will be fun. That was something I didn’t enjoy waking up to and discovering on my own.

Ok, my official goal for this challenge is twofold. Lose 4 more lbs. by end of month and hit all my FDs without problems. The second will be hardest end of month if it follows like it has been so far.

@snowflake56 When I go there, I end up getting at least unlimited black coffee. At one point it was coffee with cringe 5 sugars, but I went back to black this year. A lot of times I end up adding breakfast, too (eggs, potatoes with ketchup, and toast) but I try to plan those calories in my day to begin with. I guess part is because I’m there long enough that I feel like just the coffee isn’t pay enough to sit at the bar with the guys most mornings. I know it will be easier when it warms up, so I can just go down to the park and do the walking path until they are ready.

@jaifaim- My daughter has a mild dairy allergy, so yeah, there are quite a few different non-dairy yogurts. Most common are the soy ones, but I know there are also almond and cashew ones out here. I’ve seen some recipes online, but I don’t have the courage to make my own and most take starters from other non-dairy yogurts.

Happy, oh so happy to be here! I lost 6lbs. in the 18 days I was apart of
February’s challenge. Great motivator for March. I’m doing a B2B fast today and tomorrow to jump-start the month. Looking forward to reading about everyone’s successes this month. Thanks @snowflake56 for hosting!